Obliviously mindful

Being obliviously mindful..is that possible?

I have been interested in mindfulness for a while now. I learnt about it in my social work studies and furthermore in my job as a social worker. It is also a foundational idea in a few therapies which I really like. As a practicing social worker I was always really intentional about trying to be mindful, mainly because I knew the benefits for my mental health. I was really motivated to make it a part of my daily routine, I downloaded an app and everything...and then never used it! hah! Although I thought about it often and used these skills in periods of high stress, I don't feel like overall it was a daily practice.

Today as I was taking yet another photo of beautiful flowers I realized that since moving to Paris everyday without realizing I have become really mindful. I’m sure every day I notice something beautiful around me and take a moment to either capture a photo, or just stare at the beauty around me.

Mindfulness in its essence its being present. It is noticing where we are and stopping to take it in.

So I started thinking, what’s different? What do I do here in Paris? And I realized it’s actually super simple. When I walk around I don't just look at my phone. But I look up, I look down (mainly to avoid dog poo & spit - the not so glamorous aspects of Paris). I notice trees, I look for flowers, & seek out beauty. And then I either capture it with a photo, or take a moment to take a mental picture - embracing the smell & the beauty I see.

When thinking about this I realised that actually taking time each day to notice the beauty around me and therefore to be really present, has brought peace into my life. Since moving to Paris there have been a lot of stressful situations in all areas of my life. However I reckon I have managed to handle the stress pretty well. In reflection I think a lot of this has come from keeping my mind healthy and in a good mental space.

People have different ways that they enjoy being mindful. I like to pray. I also like to stop and capture beauty. It's important to find what works for you. But if you are keen to try a couple of ideas, maybe you always thought mindfulness was a great concept but have never actually done anything about it, then here's some thoughts from me :)

Everyday take a moment to:

1) look up - I find that when I look up physically I always get a perspective shift mentally. It's pretty amazing to look up and just remember the world we live in, how big and beautiful it is. Also it's amazing how often we look down - at our phones, our feet etc. There's a lot of beauty above to be seen.

2) Look for a little bit of beauty - actively seeking beauty is so good for our souls. It may be nature: a sweet flower or tree. Or maybe its a mum holding her child's hand, or a smile. Beauty is everywhere, but it only brings happiness into our own lives when we notice it.

3) Take a breath and inhale (smell) - people haven't yet created a way to share smells or capture them (to my knowledge) and that in itself it quite beautiful. A smell is something that you experience in the present. I also find that engaging our different senses can be really relaxing and calming, for example I love massaging lovely smelling moisturizer on my hands. The mixture of touch & smell is really soothing. The same goes for mixing our sight and smell.

These simple ideas don't take long and can be done at any time. So I encourage you, give it a go, why not?!